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Look guys, you might as well get use to it now that UNB has less players, as next year the teams will have roster limits.

What is the limit going to be, do you know? It has really only been the last two years that UNB has carried a pretty big roster...before that they only ever had maybe 2 scratches per game. And I will admit last year they did have terrible luck with injuries so the chances of needing that many players again is probably pretty low.

In the late Eighties they use to have 'cards' and you only had so many (something like 22 or 24). Once a card was signed, that player took up a roster spot for the entire year regardless of how many time he played. As a result, there was no motivation to have more than what you needed.

You didn't have to use all of your cards right away - you would keep 1 or 2 open until you needed them (an injury occurs and then you decide which of the extra players you have would be the best fit and sign his card at that time or keep one for a Christmas addition).

Just got the RogersTVNB broadcast schedule today. We'll be covering seven (7) V-Reds home games that will be broadcast live across New Brunswick. There will also be live soccer, basketball and volleyball coverage.

I am curious what would happen in the case that a team has more than 21 skaters still on the roster and eligible to play after this season. Would they have to cut some players to get down to 21 or would they be able to remain above the cap until enough guys graduate or move on to get to 21.

For example, say after this season UNB still has 22 players eligible to return after this season...would they have to cut someone to get down to 21? Or could they carry 22 until more guys graduate after the end of next season? If it is the latter maybe that is why teams are bringing in fewer players, in preparation of next season.

I talked to an AUS coach today. He was unsure of what happens if you get a long term injury (like with Daine Todd his first season) vis-a-vis the 21 skater max cap (which he confirmed).

The roster limit is for AUS men's hockey only starting next season, and came down from the AD meetings.

I hadn't thought, or asked, about what happens when you roll over this year's rosters to next year. Might really dent recruiting next year for some teams (who might be forced to red-shirt rookies for a whole season as often happens in the NCAA).

With Pridham confirmed and Bryce Swan likely the same cause he is enrolled for classes, with the additions of Also Cam Braes and Critchlow, UNB will be extremely dangerous to shut down on Offence, maybe more so than ever before.

If the defence stays Healthy we will be fine despite the losses of big names, some of the talent that wasn't used last year or were injured are very good players who didnt get a chance to play regularly (Shutron, Denny) Robertson is a solid addition to the Defence, and should be a similar type of player as Stamler.

The keys for Defence Ben Wright and Josh Kidd staying healthy, can contribute on both ends of the Ice
Ben Shutron Fully recovering and gaining his confidence back and given the chance to play to get back to his rookie season form. Denny giving a chance to play everyday and show that big shot that gave him an AHL deal. And someone to take charge of Marc Antoine Desnoyiers, fantastic skater, but too many errant give aways on passes, and is a defensive reliability in a big way, takes too many bad penalties and shows a whinny side although that seems to have calmed down a bit towards the end of the season.

The Goaltending is Solid both of them, Dan Lacosta is better than we saw last year, he was forced to play with Groin issues when Fullarton was out.

I don't think the loss of Jon Harty and Kyle Bailey will hurt us as much as most would think, I was always a fan of theirs both and for what they meant to UNB Hockey, while Harty Points per game as a pinching defenseman rose every year, it seems his ability to lay the big hit that everyone and defencive dependability decreased, he just got caught out of position a lot trying to make a hit and missing.

While i could never question what Bailey meant to UNB Hockey, His ability to put points on the board especially on the power play were not as good as maybe some other guys could have done giving the same opportunities and Ice Time Kyle received. He was very much a big part of the UNB power play that struggled badly throughout the year because their was no finish

Not to be a Debbie Downer, but just because folks are enrolled at university doesn't necessarily mean that they will play or are eligible to play. Recruits have been known to be enrolled at one school over the summer, and then change their mind and enroll at another in September. Sometimes recruits are enrolled, but still walk away and turn pro without ever showing up for classes. They're "on the books" until they withdraw, or until they don't pay their tuition by last date to add classes (normally two weeks into the term). I prefer to wait for status announcements from the Varsity Reds, as frustrating as the wait can be. Don't forget, their first official practice is only Friday.

As for eligibility, it is particularly tricky for tranfers in their 5th year of eligibility. They have to be full-time students in grad school, or "professional" second degrees such as Law or Education. A normal student can sometimes take grad-level courses without being officially in grad school, but that won't cut it for CIS transfer student-athletes. There was a transfer student in BC a couple of years ago, a football player, who was supposed to be a MBA student. Turns out he hadn't cleared all the hoops for the full-blown MBA program and was in a conditional-acceptance, "MBA-lite" kind of status. Someone complained, his school and the CIS looked into it, and his new team had to forfeit all their wins in games he played. Very embarrassing.

Shorter version: the Varsity Reds have to be very careful about Swan and Pridham's academic situation (grad school is more complicated than undergraduate programs and might have less urgency) since the V-Reds are under a microscope, which is why nothing has been announced yet.

As of Today 100% Kidd and Weibe are both enrolled at UNB for this Semester, so unless their is a massive miss fire and Wiebe got enrolled without trying to get enrolled he will be playing for UNB

Like Drummer said though...most students now register for classes at the end of the previous semester so he may have picked all of his classes for this semester months ago and just left it. From everything I'm hearing he isn't with the team.

I am curious what would happen in the case that a team has more than 21 skaters still on the roster and eligible to play after this season. Would they have to cut some players to get down to 21 or would they be able to remain above the cap until enough guys graduate or move on to get to 21.

For example, say after this season UNB still has 22 players eligible to return after this season...would they have to cut someone to get down to 21? Or could they carry 22 until more guys graduate after the end of next season? If it is the latter maybe that is why teams are bringing in fewer players, in preparation of next season.

They're using this year to grandfather the rule, meaning next year will be a hard cap of 21 skaters. Unfortunately teams will have to cut guys if they're above.

Who's webcasting UNB games this season? Any games going to be broadcast on CHSR?

Hadn't asked about webcasts - assumed they'll do all home games again.

CHSR-FM is planning to do lots of home games and some road games, but the schedule and logistics are still being worked out (Kinda have to wait for new students to arrive and get involved to see who we have to work with, and Nick Murray will most likely be the primary play-by-play guy).

Gardiner MacDougall made it official in today's Daily Gleaner that SMU's Colby Pridham and StFX's Bryce Swan will be playing for UNB this season, and are eligible to play right away.

Quote:

“They’re experienced players and both were good players in good programs,” UNB head coach Gardiner MacDougall said. “We’ve had good luck with our grad studies program any time we’ve had a fifth-year transfer come in.”

“We’ve been fortunate to get great people,” MacDougall said, “and it’s been a great opportunity for them from an academic and hockey standpoint.”

Quote:

“Their roles will be defined once we get a few practices until our belt,” MacDougall said, “but both have leadership skills and both are proven players in our league. Yet, they come in here with the excitement of a first-year player. Colby can play centre or wing ... a power play and penalty kill guy, and Bryce is a proven scorer. I think both have improved each year in the league, so they’re looking to finish on a high note.”

I dropped into practice today. First - Kidd was on the ice. Second - didn't see Weibe, but then most of the guys have the same build so it's hard to tell most of them apart and I wasn't there very long.

Travis and Lacosta were in nets.

Also saw Shutron, Wright, MacDougall, Wudrick (all of the 6'+ guys are easy to see).

Lots of guys on the ice. Should be intertesting in the next week to see how things shake-out.

Will anyone be able to compete with UNB in the AUS this year or will they pretty much be a shoe-in to win the AUS assuming they don't run into major injuries? This seems like the most stacked offensive team I've ever seen.

Must be discouraging for both SMU and StFx to each see one of their top players going to the enemy.

Never say Never this university could have won 6 straight CIS championships going into the present season yet we have never repeated as cis champs before. You can never be too good in the AUS or CIS. Theirs last years lost to Western, 2010 lost to ST FX after winning our first 27 reg season games. The 2008 loss to Alberta.

So as recent history shows we are due to win a national title this year. The returning guys should be hungry after the home loss to western. But absolutely anything can happen something I think we took for granted at nationals last year.

I was back at the arena for my son's 3-on-3 and talked to Todd for a few minutes. The coaching staff is pretty pumped. Lots of Forward talent, maybe more depth top to bottom then they have ever had. Both goalies are healthy and hungry - it's just the backend, but even there they feel with more ice time everyone will come into their own.

Practice was pretty high tempo - Gardiner said they worked as hard as they do in January. Bumped into Houde-Carron in the hallway having returned from the hospital with three stitches over his lip (just a light September practice - yeah right)

Weibe wasn't there - he still could show up late. They left the door open - it's up to him.